Exercise and Asthma? and a few other ?'s too

Ok, well I have finally decided to do something about my weight and all. My sis and I joined a gym today and have already been once to workout. I actually really enjoyed myself and cant wait to go back tomm. I was dianosed with Asthma two yrs ago and am on Singulair, Zyrtec, Protonix (for acid reflux which could aggravate my asthma) Advair and Albuterol inhaler or in a Neb whichever I need or prefer at the time. I also suffer with severe panic and anxiety attacks and within the last few months I have this tightness in my throat and kinda a wierd feelign which seems to be way worse when I am anxious or having breathing probs. I read all this stuff about vocal cord dsyfunction(SP?) and am wondering if maybe what I have is not really asthma. My dad is an EMT and he says that everytiem I feel like I am having an attack he doesnt see where it really looks like a true asthma attack from what he is used to seeing but yet I really feel like I am having trouble. I mean my albuterol does help and also if its really bad and I am panicking too I can take a half of ativan and am even better. (I have only had to take the ativan twice which I actually had for my anxiety) Like my doc didnt have any of the 100/50 advairs so he gave me a 250/50 and siad that was fine to take. I am not really sure I need this. Maybe it just is really anxiety making my throat feel closed up and all who knows...My next question is with exercising now (my doc does know I am trying to work on my weight and all and she is all for it) I kinda have this fear of getting my heart rate up way too high or having a horrible asthma attack while working out (so far I am just doing treadmill and bike for 15 mins each) I did talk to the guy who signed us up and I have a paper I carry in my purse with all my allergies and meds listed and emergency contact ppl and all and they said to give them a copy to keep on file and they will be getting to know my face and all(he said they like to try and remember faces esp with ppl with medical probs so they can keep an extra eye out and if they think we are overdoing it or anything) so they can keep an eye out for me and all and that to just make sure I have my inhaler with me and not to worry that they will take good care of me. I don;t know I guess this is more anxiety related I mean I got a little freaked out when my heart rate got up to like 140 even though my sis said that was fine my heart rate is normally 80-90. Guess I just need a little reassurance...sorryh this was soooo long and not totally asthma related...

Wanted to respond to your post because for the first time I finally heard someone say the same things I had been suffering. I have been with a lung specialist for 5 years and diagnosed with atypical asthma. A lot of my family are some place in the medical field and pretty much led me to believe this was "in my head." Let's just say I was relieved to find out there is actually a name for this suffering I was undergoing. Please talk to your doc about atypical asthma because the symptoms are tightness in the throat, struggling to take deep breaths and shallow breathing. One final thing.. asthma is not always the way it looks on TV with the wheezing and gasping. Don't let your friends tell you differently. Hope this helps.

Hi
Have you been checked for VCD? That is normally tightness in the upper airways and can be anxiety related. A reliever inhaler would help it a little as well. The treatment for it is speech therapy, or helium and oxygen mixture when you are having a bad attack, it is important for you to get diagnosed properly as VCD can lead to the need to be vented (in bad cases) if it has not been diagnosed properly, as people think you are having an asthma attack and the treatment doesn't work.
As for the excersise thing, try not to worry, take it slowly and you will gradually get fitter and manage more. Try not to worry too much about your heart rate, and don't check it too often! Your body will let you know if you are over doing it, and the people at th gym seem to be a nice, caring bunch!
Love]
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